The dangers of our beloved pastime.

[South Bound]

The thing to think about it's not how good you are, it's how bad the others are, cars etc. (and other cyclists on the trail)

Yep, that is it for me. I can never understand anyone riding on the road without one (well anyone to be honest), but I am more worried about idiot drivers than falling off. Commuting in Bristol taught me that, although the only accident I ever actually had was when I hit a bus...

 

[Old Ned]

I always wear a helmet these days off-road (to many head banging incidents in the past) and make sure I have some kind of indentification with me showing name, blood group, next of kin 'phone number etc. It's in one of those SOS medallion/lockets on a chain.

Very important if you're out on your own and you have a bad one.

I suppose the butch ones amongst us could have all this tattooed on their forehead

 

[messiah]

I use my helmet to headbutt branches out of the way on the local trails :twisted:

I've landed on my helmets enough times to know that riding without one is silly for where and how I ride... but if I were to park the car up and discover I did not have it with me it would be dilemma time. Last time I did this I rode gingerly and avoided anything remotely silly/interesting... I felt naked :?

I don't wear glasses despite riding into a branch and needing stitches in my eyelid... I just can't get on with glasses for riding.

And as for pads... I very rarely wear them even when planning to ride really stupid stuff... they do not help you ride better, they may catch you when you fall... but it's better to ride within your capabilities and know your limitations. If your riding well and are comfortable about the obstacle then go for it, if your not then avoid it - thinking it will be ok because you have pads on is simply stupid. No amount of padding will save you from a every pratt fall, a little bit of fear is a good thing.

 

[yo-eddy]

Living in Bicycle country nr 1 Holland where everyone grows up on a bike... and no one seems to wear a Helmet :roll:
Just never crossed my mind in the first place to buy a helmet when I started biking in the late 80's.... bought one a few years later when it was obliged for competion....still never use it on my local trails though and allways have to force myself to take it out to the Alps or Ardennen. Will bring my Helmet to the States this summer, hope it will stay in one piece
I work at an international school and it's fun to see almost all the Foreign kids tend to wear helmets (parents included) but still 99% of the Dutch kids don't.
.... it's just in our genes to ride without a helmet I guess :roll:

 

[IbocProSX]

Another Dutchman here, grew up riding bikes since about the time I could walk, always without a helmet. When I got into proper off-road riding in 89 or so I never wore a helmet either.

But then I had a "close encounter" with a big tree on the top of a hill. I remember hitting it, then I remember sitting on a bench at the foot of the hill. I have no memeory of the rather tricky descending section in between. None whatsoever. And next my mates had to get me to A&E to let the doctors sow my ear back on.

YMMV, but within a week I bought my first helmet, and I'm never without it since. Also, I have two broken helmets hanging on the bike shed wall. At the last event I broke my Giro E2 and my left collarbone on a hill in Banchory Scotland. If it hadn't been for the helmet, I would have broken my head.

Enjoy!!

 

[tintin40]

We retro riders should maybe set a good example and always wear helmets
Velomaniac

Not in to setting a good example. Leave that for the kids parents to do. Cyclist could start by stopping at red stop lights.

 

[South Bound]

Not in to setting a good example. Leave that for the kids parents to do

Agreed. I don't get the parent thing when they don't wear a lid. That just says 'wear a helmet because I say so, but it is really ok not to and when you are 18 you can stop'.

I just wonder how many parents wish their 18 year olds had worn a helmet.

All my mates had them when I started, and I actually thought it was quite cool - it was just when the Giros were getting plastic coatings. Only trashed one on a mountain in Morocco, would have been seriously poorly without it - that was enough for me.

 

[cchris2lou]

I went to school on my bike from a very early age ( in france btw ) . never wore a helmet .
Only bought one when I started MTB .
I used to wear one for commuting , but in the summer I dont bother .